TV News Director and Graduating College Students ‘Excited’ ‘Thrilled’ About Their First TV Job

By Paul Greeley
817-578-6324, Paul@NewsBlues.com

Graduating college seniors who are entering the local TV arena are posting the news on LinkedIn.

News Blues has been publishing their posts because usually, we don’t get to see who the next gen journalists entering the local TV news arena are.

In today’s unsettling environment of local TV, it’s encouraging that a new wave of college grads trained in broadcast journalism are passionate about our business.

Students graduating from Penn State, The University of Tennessee, Florida State University, Mississippi State University, Iowa State University, University of Arkansas, Boston University, University of Georgia, Lynn University and Kent State have already been profiled.

Today, we’ll meet graduates from Middle Tennessee State University, University of Arkansas, University of Southern Mississippi, University of South Carolina and the University of Florida.

Corey Presley, the news director at WBIR, Tegna’s NBC affiliate in Knoxville, says the station is “excited to share that Taylor Pennington will be joining our team in Knoxville following her graduation from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU).”

Taylor was identified as a top emerging talent through our ongoing partnership with MTSU, where she stood out for her strong storytelling instincts, work ethic, and clear commitment to meaningful journalism. From the moment we connected, it was obvious she brings both the skill set and mindset that align with the kind of work we value.

Just as important, Taylor is returning home to East Tennessee to practice journalism close to her family. That connection to the community matters. It shows up in how stories are told, who we prioritize, and the authenticity viewers can feel.

We’re proud to continue investing in the next generation of journalists through partnerships like this and even more excited to welcome Taylor to the team. We’re thankful for our partners (Andrew Oppmann, Dan Eschenfelder, and Christine Eschenfelder) for identifying top-tier talent.

Welcome to WBIR, Taylor.

Josh Droll is “beyond excited to announce that following graduation from the University of Arkansas, I have accepted a full-time position with KAIT 8 as a Reporter/Multimedia Journalist in Jonesboro, Arkansas.”

First and foremost, I want to thank Aaron Castleberry for the opportunity to start in my career of choice, and even going so far as to humor me with a housing list!

I would also like to thank everyone at UATV News, including my classmates, Station Manager Emma Rasmussen, and all of the staff involved with student media, for being both an excellent model and classroom environment. I would not be the storyteller I am today without student media.

Jonesboro, I am excited to get to work and cover news in your area!

Stephani Perez Munoz announced that “after I walk the stage at The University of Southern Mississippi, I will be extending my stay in Hattiesburg, MS.”

I have accepted a position as a Broadcast Producer at WDAM! I officially start on June 1st and I could not be happier. Thank you Emily Forrester for being patient with me and willing to add me to your daily team! I cannot wait to start and get my career started, and I am excited to start it off with Gray Media because I grew up watching my local news from a Gray station. I also want to thank Jason A. Beverly, Ph.D. for guiding me through these last two years.

To the Pine Belt, I am here to stay and can’t wait to start my career close to my university.

Amanda Allen’s GOT GEORGIA ON MY MIND! 🎥📍

I am happy to announce that I have accepted an offer to work as a Multi-Skilled Journalist (reporter) at WMAZ in Macon, Georgia, Tegna’s CBS affiliate there. 

I am so blessed to have received an offer so early into my senior year, and one that will be such a benefit to growing my skillset as a storyteller.

I want to thank my mentor, Stephen Adams, for supporting me and making me a better storyteller over the last two years, and I want to thank my news director Lorra Lynch Jones for giving me this position that I am so excited to endeavor!

I also want to thank Laura K. Smith, Andy Burns, Rick Peterson and Chris Halsne for their exceptional journalism education they provided me with. And of course, I want to thank my wonderful parents Brian Allen and Carole Allen, because I most certainly wouldn’t be who and where I am without them.

Most importantly I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who has blessed and continues to bless me every single day of my life. It is truly amazing what he can do with your life if you just surrender it to Him and His plan. How lucky am I to know Him.

I’ll always be a Carolina girl (& most certainly will be visiting back often), but I’m excited to see what Georgia has to offer me as I embark on this next stage in my life and first one of my career.

See you on TV! 📺🤍

Juan Carlos Chaoui is thrilled to be moving to Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas to work as a reporter trainee at KXAS, the NBC-owned station there. Chaoui is graduating from the University of Florida.

Joining the NBCUniversal family is truly a dream opportunity and the start of an exciting new chapter. I’m incredibly grateful and blessed to have everyone who has supported me along the way, from my family and friends, and especially to my mentors, professors, and the newsroom leaders who have helped me grow: Harrison Hove, Alicia Coleman, Kalisha Whitman, Andre Sanders, Ethan Magoc, Dania Alexandrino, & Jeremy S..

I’ll always be thankful for my time at UF and WUFT, where I learned what it means to work hard, tell meaningful stories, and serve a community through journalism.

I can’t wait to start telling the stories of the Lone Star State!

See you soon, Texas!

Daniella Streety writes that, “From a young age, I knew I wanted to become a broadcast meteorologist. What started as a childhood dream has grown into a true passion shaped by years of learning, hands-on experience, and a love for telling meaningful weather stories. I’m so grateful to now take this next step and turn that dream into reality.”

The Florida State University grad is “incredibly excited to share that I will be joining the WALB News 10 First Alert Weather Team as a full-time meteorologist starting this May.”

WALB is Gray’s NBC and ABC affiliated station in Albany, Georgia.

I want to sincerely thank Jerry Goodman for believing in me and giving me this opportunity.

I’m also incredibly thankful for my mentor, Austin Lowe, whose guidance and encouragement helped me grow both on and off camera. To my FSU Weather peers and alumni, thank you for pushing me, learning alongside me, and making this journey as special as it has been. The feedback and support you all were able to give me is the reason I was able to grow into the meteorologist I am now.

Above all, I thank God for guiding my path and opening this door. None of this would have been possible without His direction and timing.

I’m honored to be starting at a station with such a strong legacy of FSU Weather alumni. I can’t wait to get started, continue growing, and serve the South Georgia community. See you soon WALB-TV.

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